NIPPON KOI GARDEN - What is Koi?

What is Koi?
Takazawa, a small village in the mountainous Yamakoshi area of the Niigata prefecture in Japan,
claim to be the birthplace of the multi-coloured carp we call Nishikigoi today.

About 200 years ago, some species with red or white markings appeared among the black carp that the people of Yamakoshi kept for food. They started to cross these fish with each other again and again and so the first red carp were produced. After more selective crossings, the Asagi and the Bekko appeared.

Around 1830, the first white carp with red markings were bred. More and more people in the Yamakoshi area became interested in breeding these new carp, and as a result of more crossings and improvement, several new varieties appeared.
Between 1868 and 1926 Ki Utsuri, Shiro Utsuri, Kohaku, Sanke and Ogon were bred.
By crossing Ogon with other varieties, various Hikari Mono were developed.

Around 1930, more and more small farmers in the mountains of Yamakoshi started to breed Nishikigoi as a second business and around 1950 the whole Yamakoshi area was involved in the breeding and improvement of Nishikigoi.
This area, situated in the mountains around Ojiya city, is the place were today hundreds of family’s have made a good living from the breeding of these marvellous fish.

Although, over the last 25 years, Nishikigoi are bred all over Japan and even in several other countries, Niigata remains the centre of Koi breeding. The place were the biggest names in Koi breeding are still trying to improve the quality of their living jewels.

Yamakoshimura